Inkwell



Feb 20, 1940. E. R. GROO ETAL INKWELL Filed Sept. 21, less INVENTORS Earl 25. firoo avJar/i 1 dream M, 41%. r-QM ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 2 1940.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE e d INKWELL d d Earl R. Groo and Jack I. Green, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 21, 1938, Serial No. l r 230,920 r t 3 Claims. (Cl. 120-57) This invention relates to inkwells and has for one lof itslobjectsi the provision of an inkwell which'is so rconstructed that only pen points of a: predetermined size and shape may be inserted -'5 into the ink compartment.

More specifically, the object is to provide an inkwell which is so constructed and organized 1thatfountain: pens cannot be filledfrom ink in the well. It is a matter of common knowledge 10 thatbanks, post offices, hotel writing rooms and thelike are putto considerable expense over a period of. time, and later intending users are greatlyinconvenienced, by the practice of filling fountain pensfrom inkwells which are provided 153 on writing desks and to which the public has access} The consumption of ink is multiplied many times as compared with' what it should be and clients and patrons for whom the service is supplied are apt to find the ink exhausted 20 and have to wait until the1we1l is again filled or find another wellwhich has some ink left.

e The construction of the improved inkwell also has the advantage that evaporation is reduced to a minimum, due to thefact that the ink is not exposed to the atmosphere in the usual sense, the only opening being one of such small extentthat evaporation through said opening is negligible. l e

Still another object is to provide an inkwell 3 for the"purpose stated which will have a cover which cannot readily be removed by anyone who has not been informed as to how to do it and who is not provided with an implement suitable forlthe purpose. The construction in thisrespect is suchthat proper relation and alignment of parts. constitutinga pen receiving opening, is maintained at all times. This will become clearer lateron. i 40 Another and incidental object is to provide a constructionfwhich is simpleand which can be manufactured at a low cost, but which will nevertheless serve the stated purposes in an enicient manner. l v With the foregoing and incidental objects in view, theinvention consists in a novel construction and relation of parts, illustrativeembodiments of which are shown in the accompanying drawing. and explained in the following, and the 50 novel features of which are pointed out in the it claims appended hereto.

i In said drawing: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an inkwell to which one form of the invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig.

1, and shows how a selected type of pen point may be inserted. 1

Fig. 3 showsin perspective the inkwell cover employed in Figs. 1 and 2 and shows how the structure for allowing the insertion of certain 5 pen points, while preventing the insertion of others, maybe supported from the top or. cover of the inkwell. Y d 3 Fig. eshows a modification of the inkwell of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and is in some respects the form preferred. i e 1 Fig. 5 is a view from the bottom of the inkwell of Fig; 4 and shows how the cover or top isheld in place. t i

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary side view of the ink Well and shows details of the construction for latching the cover in place on the ink receptacle. The form of construction illustratedin Figs. 1, 2 and 3-has a container 9 for ink which may i be of any suitable size or shape and of any suitablelmaterial. The .upper part of the container is. threaded on the exterior to cooperate with corresponding threads formed in the skirt 19 of a top or cover II. The top-is provided with a circular hole l2 which is preferably located at the center of the cover |I,.although neither the shape of the holenor its location are essential things. It may be non-circular or it may be located at any desired point in the cover top.

Centered in the ho1e l2 is a part which is, for want of a better name, referred to herein as the post |3,.which is. cylindrical in the form shown, with anannular ring or clearance l4 between the edge of the hole and the periphery of the post which is preferably the same in width at all points. Here again the exact location of the post with reference to the hole is not a matter of exactness, although in a circular. well such such as shown it is desirable that a pen point can be inserted with equal facility atany place between the edge of the hole and the periphery of the post. The important thing is to so proportion the relations of the hole with the periphery of the post that only a pen point of a certain size and shape, such as are supplied at the post will servetas a stop for the ink feed bar or the like of a'fountain pen and thereby prevent insertion of a fountain pen far enough to permit filling the pen. i

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the post I3 is supported by wires or the like i l l5 which are attached to the under side of the cover and to the post It as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 so as to support; the post in position with ref erence to the hole in the cover. To fill the inkwell the top simply is unscrewed and removed, carrying with it the post l3 and its support 15, so that the proper relation of the post with reference to the hole I2 in the cover is at all times maintained.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the inkwell has formed on its bottom a post 2! projecting upward and cooperating with a hole 22 in a cover 23. Here again it is preferred that the post be centered with some exactness in the hole so as to provide a clearance of uniform dimensions between the periphery of the post and the edge of the hole. Y

The cover 23 is removable, but it is preferred to have it held in place by a construction which will permit ready removal by an attendant who knows how .to. do it, but which will serve as a deterrent to others who are not informed and who might want to remove the cover. For this purpose the cover 23 is made of thicker material than is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the well is provided with a flange z l. on the upper exterior. Extending inward from a skirt or flange 25 of the cover 23 is a stud 28 preferably carrying a small soft rubber roller 2i. Diametrically oppo-' site the pin and roller is a leaf spring 28 fixed in a notch or groove in the Skirt of the cover. The flange 24 is recessed or cut out at' two .diametrically opposite points as shown at 29, 29. After the well is filled the cover. is put on with the roller 27 and spring 28 passing through the recess 29 andthe cover is then given a turn to engage the roller and springvunder the flange 24 to hold the cover'closely in'position on the inkwell. On the under side of the flange 24 are latching lugs 3i adjacent one or bothof the recesses 29. These are shaped as shown in Fig. 6 so that after the cover is put in place with the spring 28 below the flange 24 the cover may be rotated until the spring snaps behind the vertical shoulder .of one of the lugs 3i. shoulders or" the latching lugs 3!. are not very high, so that if the lugs are. used adjacent each of the.,.recesses 29 the roller 2'! will ride over them in putting the cover off and on, butthe shoulders are nevertheless high enough to. be engaged by the edge of the spring 28 securely enough to give the desired latching effect.

The spring is formed with a loop as shown in Fig. 4, which can be engaged by asuitable im-.

plement in the possession of the attendant to flex the spring sufficiently to clear the lug 3|, after which the cover may be turned until the spring reachesthe recess 29, whereupon the cover can be removedior filling the well. The spring latch 28 may be of any suitabl shape and be attached inany suitable manner provided that some special tool or vunobvious manipulation is required to remove the" cover.

The arrangement of latching lugs 3| may, as above suggested, be duplicated adjacent either or both of the clearances 29. If only one pair of lugs are used, in order to prevent turning the cover until the spring 28 reaches the other clearances '29, a pair of stop shoulders 32 may be pro- The vertical vided for limiting rotation of the cover 'after'the spring 28 has passed over one of the latching lugs 3l. Or, instead of using the shoulders 32, the spring and one of the clearances :29 may be Wider than the stud 27 and the other clearance,

so that the spring will have to be in line withthe wider clearance before the cover 23 can be removed or replaced.

While the forms of embodiment illustrated in the drawing and above explained are admirably adapted to fulfill the objects and purposes stated, the invention is capable of various modifications and changes all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

the post, and means comprising, a spring latch for removably holding the cover on the well. i

2. An inkwell having an outwardly extending flange around the top of the ink. container; said flange being cut away at two points toprovide I clearances, a cover for the container carrying a rubber roller and a spring spaced apartv the same distance as the two clearancesin the flange and passing through said clearances when the coveris applied and e'ngagingunder said flange'when the cover is rotated, and locking lugs on said flange adjacent the clearances cooperating, with the spring to limit rotationofthe cover in one directionunless the spring is inanipulated to clear the locking lugs in removing thecover.

3. An inkwell comprising arrink container. having an outwardly extendingflangearound its top, said flange being cut away at twopoints to provide spaced apart clearances or notches, a cover for. the container having a central openingin its top and a downwardly extending flange the interior of which flange will closely engage;

the periphery of the flange on thev container when the cover is in placey'a cylindrical member extending up into the opening in the cover and.

of sufiicient diameter to provide an open annulus between the member and the: edge of the aforesaid opening, a stud and a. spring onthe flange" of the cover both extending inward and spacedapart the same distance as the aforesaid clearances or notches, said spring and stud passing through said clearances when the cover isjapplied and under the flange on the container when the cover is then rotated, lugs on the under side of the flange on the container constructed" to form cam faces which flex the'spring as the cover is rotated in one direction and stop shoulders limiting reverse rotation of the cover, and

other stops on the under side of the flange on the container limiting the rotation of the cover to a distance less than the spacing-between the aforesaid clearances or notches, said opening being manually operable to clear said lugs and stops when the cover is to be removed.

7 EARL'R. GROO.

JACK I. GREEN. 

